Today we’d like to introduce you to Joane Lamisere
Hi Joane, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started my endeavors as soon as I learned to hold a pencil. I’ve always gravitated towards activities where I can physically depict what I imagine. My first and primary area of focus is in drawing and painting. Throughout school and in my personal time, I have always strived to expand my skill set to constantly evolve. My deep admiration for animated films and shows added fuel to the fire. It is still a huge inspiration for my original work. I could not imagine a life where I am not making art. So, it was a no brainer that I eventually chose to make it my career.
My original intentions were to become an illustrator when I finally graduated high school. However, I instead went to school for animation with a focus on 2D animation. I graduated college at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. During this time, I thought hard about how I wanted to proceed with my career. I chose to go with my gut and begin working independently. Eventually, I started my small art business in 2022 after I decided to take a year off of work to focus on my art. In that time I created a game plan for the steps I wanted to take to build the framework for my career as a freelancer and small business.
One of my most proud accomplishments being the illustrator for a children’s book for the first time. It’s a bilingual picture book titled “Nou Nwa e nou bèl” or “We are Black and We are Beautiful” by Olguyne Barreau and published by Educa Vision Inc. in partnership with Room to Read. Aside from that, I’ve been freelancing for over 4 years. During this time, I’ve had the pleasure of designing for video content creators, small businesses, character designs, merchandise, and logos. This opened the gateway for me to ease into creating and selling custom goods online or at in-person events.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It’s been quite a rocky road. There are so many challenges associated with being a full-time independent artist and small business owner. One of my biggest struggles is over estimating how much work I can take on. Some folks have trouble staying motivated and taking initiative. But I am on the other extreme end where I feel like I cannot allow myself to take a break. I often take on more responsibility that I can handle due to my fear of asking for help. When I fail to meet a goal or expectation, I feel like I do not deserve the rest I desperately need. It’s had detrimental affects on my work, relationships, and my overall health. My most important goal moving forward is to respect my limits and be kinder to myself. I would not tolerate someone else pushing me past my limits. So, why do it to myself?
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My focus is in character design and illustration. My designs are inspired by elements of my culture, fantasy, gaming, and my love for cartoons. I’ve curated a diverse body of work demonstrating a breadth of authenticity that draws from personal experiences and my fascination with different flora. I am well-versed in creating high-resolution designs and illustrations using Adobe Suite & Procreate. In addition, I’m have experience as a 2D animator with skills in motion graphics and 2D hand-drawn animation.
My art shop contains many different custom designed prints, stickers, acrylic charms, pins, totes, coin pouches, temporary tattoos, magnets, puzzles, reusable sticker books, and lanyards. The designs include vibrant original art depicting cozy scenes, fantasy themes. I also love to create fan art from my favorite anime’s and video games. (Fullmetal Alchemist, Tekken, Carole and Tuesday, Pokemon, Bomberman, etc). I list my wares online but i primarily vend at different events to sell my work in person. I frequent anime conventions, gaming tournaments, comic cons, and art markets all over the state. I’m basically a carney.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Being courageous is an important aspect of all my accomplishments. In addition, its been an uphill battle to maintain it along the way. As I make my way through the early stages of being a freelancer and running my art business, it feels like the many hurdles I have to jump seem to be getting bigger. When trying new things and taking on bigger responsibilities, I feel like I want to get the hang of things as soon as possible. Part of my impatience comes from my fear of being seen trying. I takes a lot of courage to overcome any fear. Staying determined to keep trying even if I feel like I look goofy is how I slowly built up the courage to put myself and my artwork out there. When I push myself into uncharted territory, I become more confident that I can keep moving forward even if I have to take a couple steps back from time to time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mojo97.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mojo.jojo97/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf-rDMm8kzMX8hFxYG3EALQ
- Other: https://educavision.com/book/nounwaenoubel-weareblackandwearebeautiful
